GDP

The Italian government was forced to pay out a record 6.5 percent in interest rate at an auction on Friday, thereby putting even more pressure on the nascent government of Prime Minister Mario Monti.

Zimbabwe's economy is likely to continue its strong recovery next year from a decade of decline to expand by 9.4 percent, Finance Minister Tendai Biti said on Thursday, but a hike in mining royalties could impede growth.

The Ontario government cut its growth, revenue and reserve targets on Wednesday, but said it was still on track to balance the budget in six years, without lowering total program spending or raising taxes.

Alibaba.com, China's largest e-commerce firm, posted an 11.9 percent rise in quarterly net profit, its slowest growth in nearly two years, with the company raising concerns due to a weak trade outlook stemming from debt woes in Europe and the United States.

The market is expecting that China would loosen its monetary policy in the coming months, and many believe a selective easing has already begun, and that more serious easing will come soon.

The leaders of France and Germany will voice their support for new Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti at a tripartite meeting on Thursday, seeking to stem the risk of the debt crisis gripping the heart of the euro zone.

The Austrian banking system is on fire: getting singed not only by the heat of the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis, but also by the immolation of an Eastern European asset bubble the banks had been underwriting for a decade. Stumbling, contradictory guidance from the management of several banks has not helped either. And a stalling Austrian economy is only likely to make things worse

The failure of the Super Committee to reach a budget deal wouldn't immediately affect the U.S. credit rating, according to Moody's Investors Service, Standard & Poor's Ratings Services and Fitch Ratings, but the rating agencies are keeping a watchful eye on developments.

Gold prices fell Wednesday as investors sold the metal to raise cash but bargain hunting and short covering pared the losses so the yellow metal ended the session just shy of its opening price.

Johannesburg stocks fell to their lowest close in a month on Wednesday, as weak Chinese factory data sparked concerns about demand from the world's second-largest economy, hitting miner Assore and luxury good maker Richemont.

Mozambique has no plans to impose local ownership requirements on its mining industry and it will not seek overly high government stakes in mining ventures that could deter investors, its national director of mines said.

Ratings agency Fitch said on Tuesday it was concerned about South Africa's deficit reduction plans given that economic growth is likely to slow next year.

The super committee's failure will not lead to another downgrade in the United State's credit rating, but it does leave Congress with a budgetary mess on its hand in the coming months.

The U.S. economy grew at a slightly slower pace than previously estimated in the third quarter, but weak inventory accumulation amid sturdy consumer spending strengthened views output would pick up in the current quarter.

The Eurozone crisis, which has intensified since early 2010, shows no signs of abating and has put several member countries on the brink of default.

The shares of Apple (AAPL), maker of the iPhone 4s, have pulled back to about $370. Does the pull-back represent a buying opportunity?

Gold hurtled toward a one-month low Monday as fear that neither the U.S. nor Europe are able to tackle their sovereign debt problems drove investors to the dollar.

Finance officials bit their nails and nervously watched the clock. There were 30 minutes left in a bond auction aimed at funding the deficit and there was not a single bid.

A worsening economy will hurt Ontario's chances of meeting already long-term plans to balance its budget as it prepares for a fiscal update on Wednesday.

Complicating matters is the high exposure that major French banks have to the distressed debt of other Eurozone nations like Greece and Italy.

Finance officials bit their nails and nervously watched the clock. There were 30 minutes left in a bond auction aimed at funding the deficit and there was not a single bid.